PRS for Music celebrates Welsh members with dynamic line-up

Leading UK collecting society hosts live music event for local businesses and music industry guests at Cardiff’s Tramshed

Rachel K Collier

In what proved to be one of the liveliest PRS Presents to date and PRS for Music’s first Welsh edition of the live event, an eclectic mix of both English and Welsh spoken music took to the stage at Cardiff’s famous Tramshed last week (Thursday 27 September).

PRS for Music, which represents more than 140,000 songwriters, producers, composers and music publishers in the UK and across the globe, began hosting PRS Presents in 2015 to celebrate the wealth of fantastic talent represented by the membership organisation.

Opening proceedings, Pwllheli born singer-songwriter Al Lewis brought both grace and a sense of fun to his performance. With a set including latest single, ‘Dianc o'r Diafol’ (which translates to ‘Get Rid of the Devil’), accompanied by the charming Kizzy Crawford, his fusion of close harmony, pop-pocket and folkish sensibilities provided a note of occasion to the start of the evening.

Next to the stage, Rachel K Collier’s deft offering of electro-pop raised the terpsichorean bar. At times the timbre and vocal histrionics of latest single ‘Poison’ suggested an almost Kate Bush-like quality, perfectly fitting into a set filled with impressively layered tracks.

Led by Davey Newington, Boy Azooga were clearly at the Tramshed to have a good time. With a host of live dates across the UK and America in coming months, the band played with a sense of anticipation and zeal that was hard to ignore. Runaway track, ‘Loner Boogie’ did exactly what it’s meant to, leaving all wanting more.

There’s no denying the intensity that headliners Future of The Left bring to every performance, and tonight’s assault was no different. The progressive bite of ‘Arming Eritrea’ and disjointed diatribes of ‘Miner’s Gruel’ roared though the venue and its audience. A commanding and bravura performance.

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PRS for Music is proud to represent so much established and emerging musical talent. PRS Presents give us the opportunity to celebrate some of the fantastic work our members are creating and we’d like to thank Al Lewis, Rachel K Collier, Boy Azooga and Future of the Left for helping us do that last night.